Pecan Pie Dump Cake is a magical mashup that gives you all the gooey, nutty, caramel-y goodness of classic pecan pie without the fuss of rolling out pastry or blind-baking a crust. This dump-and-bake wonder combines a rich pecan pie filling with a buttery cake topping that bakes up into something between cobbler and pie.
Love More Pie Recipes? Try My Pecan Pie Cobbler or this Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Pecan Pie Dump Cake is pure genius for anyone who loves pecan pie but doesn’t love the work that goes into making one. It’s got that perfect sticky-sweet filling loaded with pecans, topped with a golden, buttery cake layer that gets crispy on top and gooey underneath. The best part? You literally dump everything into a pan and let the oven do all the work. No pie crust to worry about, no stress, just pure comfort food that tastes like fall in every single bite. It’s become my go-to dessert for Thanksgiving, potlucks, and honestly, any random Tuesday when I need something sweet and soul-warming.
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Pecan Pie Dump Cake
- Total Time: 50 minutes (plus 15 minutes cooling)
- Yield: 1 dump cake
Description
Easy Pecan Pie Dump Cake recipe with buttery yellow cake mix, gooey pecan pie filling, and a crispy pecan topping. No crust needed for this simple fall dessert that tastes like a cross between pecan pie and cobbler. Ready in under an hour with just 10 minutes of prep!
Ingredients
For the Pecan Pie Base:
- Cooking spray
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (4 oz) salted butter, melted
- 2 cups pecan halves
For the Cake Topping:
- 1 (13.25-oz) box butter yellow cake mix
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup (4 oz) salted butter, melted
- 1½ cups pecan halves
For Serving (Optional):
- Vanilla ice cream
- Caramel topping
Instructions
Get your oven heating to 350°F. Spray your 13×9-inch pan really well with cooking spray—don’t be shy about it because this gets sticky. Get those corners good.
Crack your eggs into a large bowl and add the corn syrup, brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and that first ½ cup of melted butter. Whisk everything together until it’s completely smooth. You want zero streaks of egg or clumps of sugar hiding in there.
Dump in 2 cups of pecans and stir until they’re all coated in that mixture. Every pecan should look shiny and covered.
Pour everything into your prepared pan and spread it out evenly across the bottom.
Sprinkle the entire box of cake mix over the pecan layer. DO NOT STIR. Just let it sit there like a blanket. This creates the layers.
Sprinkle the pumpkin pie spice evenly over the cake mix.
Take your remaining ½ cup of melted butter and drizzle it all over the cake mix. This is important—try to cover as much of the dry mix as possible. I go back and forth in lines, then use a spoon to hit any dry spots. Every bit of cake mix needs some butter.
Scatter the last 1½ cups of pecans over everything. Press them down gently so they nestle into the butter a bit.
Bake for 20 minutes uncovered. This starts browning the top.
After 20 minutes, loosely tent the pan with foil so the pecans don’t burn. Bake another 20 minutes or so, until the top is golden and you don’t see any dry cake mix patches. The edges should be bubbling.
This is the hardest part—wait at least 15 minutes before cutting into it. I know it smells amazing, but the filling needs time to set up or you’ll have a soupy mess instead of nice slices.
Notes
Toast your pecans first for even deeper flavor. If you have an extra 5 minutes, toast all the pecans in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes before using them. The toasted nutty flavor takes this dessert to the next level.
Use a light-colored pan if you have one. Dark pans absorb more heat and can cause the bottom to brown too quickly. If you only have a dark pan, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and increase the covered baking time by 5-10 minutes.
Don’t overmix the filling. Once your eggs and corn syrup mixture is smooth, stop whisking. Overmixing can create too many air bubbles, which might make the filling puff up too much and then collapse.
Check for doneness by looking at the cake mix. All the dry cake mix should look moistened and golden. If you still see powdery white spots, it needs more time (and possibly more butter next time!).
Let your butter cool slightly after melting. If it’s too hot, it can start cooking the eggs when you whisk them together. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes after melting.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
For the Pecan Pie Base:
- Cooking spray
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (4 oz) salted butter, melted
- 2 cups pecan halves
For the Cake Topping:
- 1 (13.25-oz) box butter yellow cake mix
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup (4 oz) salted butter, melted
- 1½ cups pecan halves
For Serving (Optional):
- Vanilla ice cream
- Caramel topping
Yield: 12 servings
Pan Size: 13×9-inch baking dish
Why These Ingredients Work
Dark corn syrup is the only thing that makes this taste like pecan pie. I used light once because I was out and it tasted like sugar soup. Not good.
Brown sugar adds that molasses flavor. Regular sugar makes it taste flat and boring.
Room temp eggs mix in smooth. Cold eggs clump up and look weird. Forget to take them out like me? Warm water for five minutes fixes it.
The heavy cream makes it taste expensive even though it’s two tablespoons.
Half the butter goes in the filling, half goes on top. That top butter is what bakes the cake mix instead of leaving it looking like someone dumped powder on your dessert.
Yellow cake mix with butter flavor is the only one I use. Keeps it dry, don’t mix it up first.
Pumpkin pie spice makes people ask what your secret ingredient is. It’s just this.
Pecan halves look nicer than chopped pieces and don’t get lost in the filling.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- 13×9 pan
- Big bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring stuff
- Foil
- Spatula
How To Make Pecan Pie Dump Cake
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Your Pan
Get your oven heating to 350°F. Spray your 13×9-inch pan really well with cooking spray—don’t be shy about it because this gets sticky. Get those corners good.
Step 2: Whisk Together the Pecan Pie Base
Crack your eggs into a large bowl and add the corn syrup, brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and that first ½ cup of melted butter. Whisk everything together until it’s completely smooth. You want zero streaks of egg or clumps of sugar hiding in there.
Step 3: Add Pecans to the Filling
Dump in 2 cups of pecans and stir until they’re all coated in that mixture. Every pecan should look shiny and covered.
Step 4: Transfer to Baking Dish
Pour everything into your prepared pan and spread it out evenly across the bottom.
Step 5: Add the Dry Cake Mix
Sprinkle the entire box of cake mix over the pecan layer. DO NOT STIR. Just let it sit there like a blanket. This creates the layers.
Step 6: Season with Pumpkin Pie Spice
Sprinkle the pumpkin pie spice evenly over the cake mix.
Step 7: Drizzle with Butter
Take your remaining ½ cup of melted butter and drizzle it all over the cake mix. This is important—try to cover as much of the dry mix as possible. I go back and forth in lines, then use a spoon to hit any dry spots. Every bit of cake mix needs some butter.
Step 8: Top with Remaining Pecans
Scatter the last 1½ cups of pecans over everything. Press them down gently so they nestle into the butter a bit.
Step 9: Bake Uncovered
Bake for 20 minutes uncovered. This starts browning the top.
Step 10: Cover and Continue Baking
After 20 minutes, loosely tent the pan with foil so the pecans don’t burn. Bake another 20 minutes or so, until the top is golden and you don’t see any dry cake mix patches. The edges should be bubbling.
Step 11: Cool Before Serving
This is the hardest part—wait at least 15 minutes before cutting into it. I know it smells amazing, but the filling needs time to set up or you’ll have a soupy mess instead of nice slices.
You Must Know
Eggs gotta be room temp. Warm water trick if you’re lazy like me.
That butter needs to cover everything. Dry spots stay dry and taste like sadness.
Foil at 20 minutes or burnt pecans. They burn fast.
Personal Secret: I press down the dry spots with the back of a spoon after I pour the butter. Not stirring, just smooshing it down so it soaks in better.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
Toast the pecans first if you remember. I never remember.
Light pans don’t burn the bottom. Dark pans need lower heat, like 325°F, and more time.
Don’t keep whisking once it’s mixed or you get air bubbles that make it puff up weird.
Everything should look wet on top when it’s done. Powder means more time.
Let butter cool a minute after melting so it doesn’t scramble the eggs.
Flavor Variations & Suggestions
Chocolate cake mix and chips for chocolate pecan.
Bourbon in the filling tastes fancy. Two tablespoons, the alcohol cooks out.
Maple syrup for half the corn syrup and maple extract instead of vanilla.
Apples with cinnamon if you can’t do nuts.
Cayenne if you’re feeling spicy.
Orange zest if you want it less sweet.
Make-Ahead Options
Night before works. Cover it, fridge it, let it sit out 20 minutes before baking. Add five minutes to bake time.
Fridge for four days covered. Microwave 30 seconds.
Freezer for two months wrapped tight. Thaw overnight, heat it up. Also good cold honestly.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
Bottom’s gooey, top’s got crispy and soft parts. Looks messy on purpose.
Salted pecans are fine, salt helps actually.
Some cake mixes drink more butter. Add more if it looks thirsty.
No pumpkin pie spice? Cinnamon and nutmeg work.
Serving Suggestions
Ice cream while it’s warm.
Caramel sauce if you’re showing off.
Whipped cream with cinnamon.
Bring the whole pan to Thanksgiving, nobody cares about presentation.
Fancy version: plate it nice with a pecan on top and caramel.
How to Store Your Pecan Pie Dump Cake
Counter for four hours with foil on top.
Fridge after that, four days covered. Easier to cut when cold anyway.
Freeze it for two months, plastic wrap then foil. Or cut pieces first.
Microwave 20-30 seconds per piece. Whole pan at 300°F covered for 15-20 minutes.
Allergy Information
Contains: Eggs, dairy, wheat, corn, tree nuts
Gluten-Free: GF cake mix plus extra butter tablespoon.
Dairy-Free: Fake butter and coconut cream. Close enough.
Egg-Free: Can’t really do it, eggs hold the filling together.
Nut-Free: Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Different but crunchy.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Can I use light corn syrup instead of dark?
No. Tastes wrong. Add molasses if you only have light.
My cake mix didn’t get golden on top — what happened?
Didn’t use enough butter or didn’t cover the whole thing.
Can I make this in a different size pan?
9×13 works. Smaller pans overflow. 9×9 cut the recipe in half.
The filling bubbled over during baking — is that normal?
Little bubbles fine. Big mess means too full or hot oven. Baking sheet underneath next time.
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